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Privacy & Security

Researchers are developing platforms to securely and quickly send data to and from smartphones. A new mobile application developed to assist providers in meeting patient privacy regulation allows for the sharing and storing of patient-related photos, videos and audio.

The lack of cybersecurity in mobile applications meant to assist dementia patients and their caregivers could put patients' personal health information at risk, according to researchers at McLean Hospitals in Belmont, Massachusetts, and clinicians at Harvard Medical School. A study in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatryexamined app security policies and provided recommendations.

Cyberattacks occur on many types of devices—including 3D printers. A new study, conducted by researchers at Rutgers University-New Brunswick and Georgia Institute of Technology, examines methods in protecting 3D printers for improved cybersecurity.

Facing an increasing amount of cyberattacks, healthcare organizations are building up their cybersecurity programs, according to the 2017 HIMSS Cybersecurity Survey. After speaking with 126 health information technology leaders, researchers outlined current security measures to show points of improvement and explore how the industry can prevent future attacks.

The healthcare industry has fought an uphill battle against hackers in 2017—and it shows in the latest Beazley Breach Insights report. The report, conducted by the cyber and data breach response insurance firm, found the rate of ransomware attacks had increased by 50 percent in the first quarter of 2017, with demands up 133 percent.

According to a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), Healthcare.gov, the federal marketplace for health insurance, experienced 316 known security-related incidents from October 2013 to March 2015.

In a letter to White House Office of Science and Technology (OSTP) Policy Director, John Holdren, PhD, HIMSS and the Association of Medical Directors of Information Systems (AMDIS) offered comments in response to the Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI): Draft Data Security Policy Principles and Framework.

In the wake of an October 2015 breach, four class-action lawsuits have been filed in U.S. District Court against Fort Myers-based 21st Century Oncology for failure to adequately protect patient data, according to an article in the Bradenton Herald. The plaintiffs are seeking $15 million in relief.

Three Facebook users have filed a class action lawsuit against the social media company, medical organizations and providers alleging that Facebook obtained and used health information without their knowledge or consent.